Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1887-08-12

with him, 4 have to settle this matter
with you. Stop, he continued, when I
attempted to speak; explanations are
needless and useless, for the reason that
the publicity given this affair by the wo-
man who has doomed herself to living
grave is such that no matter how abso-
lutely innocent of wrong or intent to
wrong you may be you must be punished
the same as if guilty. 1t is the decree of
society which gives me, under the circum-
stances, did it please me to avail myself
of it, the right to kill you; but it does not
please me, though 1 shall demand from
you, in another way, the fullest atone
ment.'
"On my honor, could have laughed,
worried as l was" continued Boris, for
Of course, atonement as he chose to style
it, for the satisfaction of society, could
mean but one thing-a duel, and duel
with an invalid who could use neither
sword nor pistol was a farce and would
render me ridiculous. The prince, divin-
ing my thoughts, smiled bitterly, then
went on: DO not believe me mad, mon
sieur, or more generous than l really am.
The duel I offer will be entirely possible,
as you will see in a moment. Bring me a
pack of cards from the salon, Njadincks,'
dllltI CooLlS OliC VI ullC SClOlCAlCll w LO op1li
stood quietly beside him, and place me at
the table Now, M. de Mirskow, signing
me to place myself opposite him and with
an air perfectly calm and affable, I'VE will
play together game of ecarte, the stakes
the life Of the loser! II the chances go
against you, before - o'clock tomorrow,
as a man of honor, you will blow out your
brains with your own hand; if against me,
T do the same. do Won acceDt2'
&C 4 accept
so be it; how many points,"
Five, exactly and the game COM
menced under the eyes of the two wit
nesses and the princess, until now an alb
solutely silent and passive spectator, too
proud to utter word that might be con-
strued as an effort to defend herself, and
too well aware of her husbands charac-
ter not to know that she must submit to
whatever consequences were brought
upon her by her own folly and my impru-
dence.
CATER all, Michel" said Boris seri-
ously, 'the temperament of a professional
coquette is pretty much the same as a
gamblers, who takes the most blood
curdling risks and stands results with the
stoicism of a martyr. With two lives
hanging absolutely upon the turn of a bit
of painted pasteboard, Eliza de B-was
as emotion1ess as woman of marble.
''The prince was undoubtedly my mas
ter at the game, but luck seemed to favor
me in the most surprising way. Soon we
were four to''-
"You needn take the trouble to con-
tinue," I said to Boris. IT can guess the
end of it, as you are here. The prince lost"
''The prince lost? Not bit of 1.-THE
prince won"
''Then howl and I made gesture
of contempt, thinking that after all my
friend had been coward and refused, be-
cause he knew his adversary could not
force him to go on the terms of the wager.
"Don't jump to conclusions, mon ami, :"
and he smiled malicieusly. s'It is always
best to hear the end Of q story before you
proceed to condemn. I repeat what I told
you moment ago: the Prince de B,
SO far from losing the game, won, and
after a battle in which confess did my
best to come off conqueror, for no one
cares to give up his life at the best of
times, particularly for the sake of a CO.
VOWS that could be laid upon it. New
ertheless, 1 am here; hold!' as I rose to
my feet and started to leave him, ashamed
of the interest had shown in what was
evidently but one of his usual jokes;
tread this, which received the next day
fifteen minutes before the stroke of 10,
and just as I was placing the cartridge in
the pistol which was to blow my brains
out. And he held out to me something
he had drawn from his pocket. 1t was an
ace of hearts, across the back Of which
the prince had written the following lines:
onions. BORIS DE MIRsKow: According
to my theory and belief you are not
cheated, since you did not perceive it.
All the same, feel that from this time on
it will be impossible for me to touch the
cards, for have dishonored them, and to
live without them l cannot. In plain
words, monsieur, yesterday, for the first
and last time in my life, I cheated. We
were four to nothing; I made the king to
disappear. Pardon me, for when this
reaches you the terms of our duel will
have been fulfilled and the prince will
have disappeared.
''It was suicide, of course" added De
Mirskow gravely, 'suicide brought about
by a wretched and crippled existence; so
said the people.
1.-THE scene in the palace, for the sake of
all concerned, was scrupulously guarded
by the gentlemen who had witnessed it,
and the princess did not gossip, you can
rest assured. '-Translated from the
French of Jean Richepin by E. G. Wag-
gener for New York Mercury.